Notes from Community Garden Planning Meeting

15 people met Saturday, Jan 23rd at 11am at NOPL@Cicero 8686 Knowledge Lane and defined the basic purpose, structure, and timeline of a Community Garden at Northern Onondaga Public Library. Also posted on the NOPL Garden Ning Network

I. Meeting began with introductions
15 people in attendance--Each named the appeal for him/her about a garden at the library.

• What people liked about the idea:
• gives a person more room to garden--augments a backyard garden
• social gardening--plant swaps, sharing duties, teaching and learning from one another
• allows for crop rotation--giving backyard beds a break
• provides a venue/context for education about diet & health
• facilitates sharing and cooperation toward a productive end--elements lacking in communities
• many hope to improve their success rates with vegetable gardens

II. The Desired Design

• One shared learning garden everyone contributes to, plus a grid of garden plots available to individuals
• Instructional demos would take place on shared lot

  o Members of the public without a plot could have an area in which to work and learn

  o Yield from shared lot would be donated (local food bank).

  • Organic growing practices are to be followed--no chemical fertilizers or pesticides allowed on any plots in the garden (leeching)

  • Primarily for edible plants, with non-edibles used with companion planting in mind

  • Gardeners hold other gardeners accountable for maintaining assigned plots

  III. Needs

  1.Water source(!)

  • Library roof not suitable for harvesting rain
  • Library’s water supply will not suffice
  • • garden will run up water bill too much
    • hose from building to garden would cross sidewalk, creating an unacceptable liability concern
  • Water Ideas:
  • Lots of rain barrels (storage for barrels?)
  • Arrangement with Fire Dept
  • • harvest water from hydrant tests
    • collect water from pumper trucks that need emptying

  2. Method of communication—[Join the NOPL Garden online Network at http://noplgarden.ning.com/]

  • Report investigations into supplies (what OCCRA has available e.g. compost, rain barrels, etc.; how the fire dept. responded to request for water;)
  • Develop a contract together to which gardeners will need to agree
  • Announce critical actions (start collecting egg cartons, cardboard
  • Arrange schedules to work together or rotate watering days, etc.
  • Propose classes or workshops (either on the same day, or sharing duties by rotations)

  3. Tools

  • kneeboards
  • long-handled hoe & prongs
  • trowels
  • 5-gallon buckets (lots of them--food-safe)

  4. Gardeners!

  IV.Timeline

  • Learn size of land for garden [Done! .43 acres=18,730 sq.ft.= 2081.2 sq.yd.]
  • Learn town ordinances that may apply to lot
  • Design garden in CAD (Kolan)
  • Take Soil Sample (Cornell Co-op Ext. Learn how deep, frequency of samples)
  • Sod-busting party (with compost from OCCRA)
  • Till
  • Start seeds indoors
  • Plant!
  Contact mbackus@nopl.org with questions. 699-2534. You don't need permission to joing the Ning network. Just Sign up!